Rectification and Nonlinear Optical Properties of a Langmuir−Blodgett Monolayer of a Pyridinium Dye

Rectification was observed across a monolayer of 2,6-di[dibutylamino-phenylvinyl]-1-butylpyridinium iodide, (Bu 2 NφV) 2 BuPy + I -, 1 sandwiched between gold electrodes. The current is enhanced at a forward bias above 0.5 to 1.0 V, as electrons flow preferentially from the iodide ions to the pyridinium ring, and is as high as 100 000 electrons molecule -1 s -1, with a rectification ratio of up to 90.